Published March 27, 2024
RALEIGH, N.C. – Tompkins Solutions, a leading supply chain consulting and material handling integration firm, showcased some of the industry’s latest advancements in warehouse automation and robotics at MODEX 2024 in Atlanta. Visitors had the opportunity to explore Tompkins Solutions’ newly redesigned state-of-the-art booth, where the company’s team of experts were on-site to discuss industry trends and provide live demonstrations of new technology solutions that are helping companies solve ongoing supply chain challenges.
Key highlights included:
- Hybrid, scalable automation solutions: Tompkins Solutions presented an example of a hybrid automation solution that offers scalability, enabling companies to defer capital spending while achieving optimal performance via various automated technologies. Visitors were able to view a Geek+ P800 shelf-to-person picking solution feeding directly to the induction station of a Tompkins Robotics tSort unit sortation system. The marrying of these solutions represents a strategic approach to adaptability in the ever-evolving economy and landscape of supply chain management.
- Semi-automated versus fully automated picking and placement: Attendees were able to observe the differences between semi-automated and fully automated processes for picking and placing goods within warehouse environments. The hybrid setup displayed a human inductor picking items from the automated Geek+ shelving units and manually placing them onto the automated tSort bots for unit sortation. In many instances, the manual induction process can easily be replaced with a robotic induction solution, further optimizing a facility’s operations.
- Robotics integrated with artificial intelligence and 3D vision technology: Attendees experienced the synergy between robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D vision technologies, which is changing the way warehouses operate by streamlining processes, improving accuracy and increasing efficiency. The Soft Robotics mGripAITM high-speed picking solution demonstrated how the combination of these advanced technologies enables industrial robots to pick a wide variety of products previously deemed too diverse for a single robotic cell. Observers witnessed how the robotic system utilizes AI and 3D vision to detect items, classify them and determine the optimal grasp, allowing the robotic arm to select the most effective tooling for picking each item type successfully time and time again.
- Intelligent software for orchestrating and optimizing warehouse operations: Tompkins Solutions gave attendees a firsthand look at Cornerstone WES, the company’s new comprehensive programmable logic controller (PLC), warehouse control system (WCS) and warehouse execution system (WES) product offering. Powered by Softeon, the robust, vendor-agnostic platform enables orchestration across automated and manual technologies and processes. Attendees had the opportunity to explore a variety of Cornerstone’s capabilities, including optimized wave and waveless batch management, picking, packing, print & apply, and diverting, among others.
“As companies continue to struggle with space and labor limitations, these flexible automation solutions provide a cost-effective way to scale logistics operations to meet current and future demands,” said David Latona, CEO of Tompkins Solutions. “We were thrilled to demonstrate the various types of technologies that will play a pivotal role in helping companies overcome obstacles and achieve long-term success.”
For more information about Tompkins Solutions, please visit www.tompkinsinc.com.
About Tompkins Solutions
Tompkins Solutions, a subsidiary of Tompkins International, is a global supply chain services firm dedicated to helping clients achieve supply chain excellence and profitable growth. Founded in 1975, Tompkins has integrated its decades of experience in strategy, commerce, logistics and technology to provide unique supply chain consulting and material handling integration solutions. By combining best-in-breed services and technologies, Tompkins delivers a true end-to-end supply chain solution, enabling clients to improve the customer experience and ensure long-term success. Tompkins is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and has offices throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.tompkinsinc.com.
